London calls - are you ready?

One month remains until the year’s ultimate event focused on digital distribution and discovery for games. London Games Conference chairman James Binns explains why you should attend…

See you at the London Games Conference, yes?

LGC won’t tell you how to make a better game. Or how to switch from console to the greener grass of mobile or social. Instead, we want to help delegates do a better job of publishing the games they’re making right now.

Over the last five years the value chain in games publishing has changed forever. And yet, the industry is still playing catch-up.

The big changes are not about the rise and fall of consoles or brands, but rather about how games reach consumers. Specifically how consumers find out about games and how they buy them.

These are the challenges around the discovery and distribution of games.

And helping the traditional industry address these challenges is why I signed on as chairman of the London Games Conference for 2012.

The discovery challenge rests with the evolution of media, where the key changes in the last five years are around the migration to digital and the emergence of search, social and video. On the publishing side, physical media has declined, replaced by downloadable content and new billing models.

We have every base covered at the London Games Conference. Google will share research into trends through a game’s lifecycle. Twitter will detail what gamers tweet about and how to grow followers and engagement. The world’s biggest games media business IGN will talk about its audience and reach. Growth in online video will be discussed by Yogscast – if you don’t know who that is, then ask a 10-year old. My boy says they’re bigger than Scooby-Doo.

Great media starts with great stories to tell, and Meteor Entertainment will talk about the upcoming launch of Hawken and its use of transmedia. Disney will be describing how traditional marketing disciplines can be applied to the challenges in the games market.

On distribution, the London Games Conference will also be focussing on how games actually reach consumers. EA Origin’s talk will focus on how publishers and developers can get the best from the store. Meanwhile Sega will talk through its acceleration into new digital channels, having built two hits on Steam with Football Manager and Total War.

All this is just a taster of what we have.

On top of the presentations, the networking elements of the LGC are vital. We have breakout sessions, drinks and supper to look forward to. Nametags at the ready.

If we’ve done our job right you’ll leave LGC 2012 with insight, actionable advice and new contacts. Stuff that will help you grow your business the morning after.

So, I’ll see you on November 21st.

BOOK?NOW

Tickets to LGC currently cost £199 ahead of the end of Early Bird delegate rate offer tomorrow (Wednesday October 10th) – delegates who buy at this rate will also be entered into a prize draw to win one of five Apple TVs.

MCV is the leading trade news and community site for all professionals working within the UK and international video games market. It reaches everyone from store manager to CEO, covering the entire industry. MCV is published by NewBay Media, which specialises in entertainment, leisure and technology markets.